This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-32913 filed Jun. 12, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a flat panel display (FPD), and more particularly, to an FPD having a mesh grid between cathode electrodes and an anode electrode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an FPD is a display device structured such that side walls are provided between a faceplate and a backplate that are provided substantially in parallel with a predetermined gap therebetween, and this assembly is sealed while maintaining a high vacuum state therein. At least one spacer is mounted within the FPD to prevent damage to the display by the difference in pressure inside the display and the atmospheric pressure outside the display, and to maintain a uniform spacing (cell gap) between the faceplate and backplate. The spacer is mounted within the display with opposing surfaces closely contacting the plates such that the two plates are supported by the spacer.
In the case where the FPD is a high voltage type device, the cell gap between the plates increases to 1 mm or greater. This prevents electrons emitted from electron emission sources from landing on their intended phosphors, and instead results in the electrons striking the phosphors of wrong pixels to illuminate the same. To solve this problem in the conventional high voltage FPD, a mesh type grid (or simply mesh grid) is mounted between cathode electrodes and an anode electrode. The mesh grid acts as a focusing electrode that controls the flow of electrons emitted from the electron emission sources. Such a prior art device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,034,658.
When a mesh grid is included in the conventional FPD, the interrelation between the mesh grid and spacer is extremely important. This is because the mesh grid must be provided over an entire display region of the FPD, and the spacer must maintain the mesh grid in a good state while continuing to perform its function of maintaining a specific cell gap between the plates as described above. Although it is possible to use instead of this single spacer a plurality of different types of spacers to support the mesh grid, the increase in the number of parts in this case brings about other problems. Therefore, there are efforts in the industry to utilize only one spacer to both maintain the cell gap and support the mesh grid.
In conventional displays, there is no disclosure of a spacer that supports a second grid, which corresponds to the mesh grid. Therefore, if the FPD is made of a large size, sagging of the second grid may occur to thereby result in preventing good operation of the display device. Although it is possible to support the mesh grid with the spacers used in conventional FPDs, in this case, it is necessary to insert a plurality of the spacers one at a time in holes of the mesh grid in a state where the same is aligned with a substrate, then to install the mesh grid onto the substrate. These processes are difficult to perform and may cause deformation of the mesh grid.
In accordance with the present invention a flat panel display is provided having a mesh grid between cathode electrodes and an anode electrode. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a flat panel display including a faceplate and a backplate provided opposing one another with a predetermined gap therebetween to define an exterior of the display. An illuminating assembly is provided in the display, the illuminating assembly realizing predetermined images. A mesh grid is provided between the backplate and the faceplate. A lower spacer is connected to a surface of the mesh grid opposing the backplate to be supported by the backplate. Upper spacers are connected to a surface of the mesh grid opposing the faceplate to be supported by the faceplate. The mesh grid, the lower spacer, and the upper spacers are integrally formed into a single structural assembly.
Holding extensions are formed on opposing ends of the mesh grid. The holding extensions support the upper spacers, and are formed at predetermined intervals and bent toward the faceplate such that holding grooves are formed between the holding extensions. Ends of the upper spacers are inserted into the holding grooves to be secured therein.
The holding extensions may be bent to be perpendicular to the mesh grid or bent such that a right angle is not made with the mesh grid.
The mesh grid is substantially rectangular having long sides and short sides, and the upper spacers may be provided along a direction of the long sides of the mesh grid for mounting to the mesh grid, or provided along a direction of the short sides of the mesh grid for mounting to the mesh grid. It is preferable that the upper spacers are bar-shaped.
It is also possible for the upper spacers to be provided along directions of the short sides and the long sides of the mesh grid for mounting to the mesh grid, thereby realizing a lattice configuration.
The lower spacer includes a frame having four sides, and a plurality of supports provided at predetermined intervals within the frame and formed integrally to the same, the supports providing support to the mesh grid.
The frame and the supports are made of a metal structure, and an insulating layer is provided to a predetermined thickness on a surface of the metal structure. The frame and the supports of the lower spacer may also be made of glass or ceramic.
The upper spacers may be mounted on the mesh grid in the same direction as the supports of the lower spacer, and either aligned with the supports of the lower spacer or provided at locations corresponding to between the supports of the lower spacer. The upper spacers may also be mounted on the mesh grid in a direction perpendicular to the supports of the lower spacer.
The illuminating assembly includes cathode electrodes formed on a surface of the backplate facing the faceplate, gate electrodes provided over the cathode electrodes in a direction substantially perpendicular to the cathode electrodes, an insulating layer interposed between the cathode electrodes and the gate electrodes, electron emission sources provided within holes formed passing through the insulating layer and the gate electrodes, and contacting the cathode electrodes, an anode electrode formed on a surface of the faceplate opposing the backplate, and phosphor layers formed on the anode electrode.